Thought some of you in the group might be interested in this. The Article
comes from Defense Daily, 07/22/99
DARPA STUDYING FREE MANEUVER OPTIONS FOR SPACE VEHICLES By Frank Wolfe
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is studying how to
move space vehicles freely, rather than having them rely on traditional
orbiting cycles, and the implications of such movement, DARPA director Frank
Fernandez said yesterday.
"We don't maneuver in space very much," he told reporters at a Defense
Writers Group breakfast. "What we do is we go into space and we park in
orbit. What would happen if we could figure out a way to maneuver in space at
will? What could you do from the standpoint of concentrating resources and
from the standpoint of targeting?"
Such free space travel is hampered by lack of fuel. DARPA is studying
different kinds of more efficient, less costly and safe fuel and a possible
space tanker to refuel satellites and other space vehicles. Unrestricted
space travel requires making "fuel a commodity in space," Fernandez said,
adding that free travel may mean that enemies will no longer be able to
predict when U.S. satellites will pass overhead.
The DARPA director, who has been in his position since May, touched on a
number of other topics in addition to DARPA's new space effort.